I must say, Banco de Oro
(BDO) still lives up true to its tagline. From an average Filipina who knows a
thing or two about personal savings accounts and time deposits, I came to
realize that I am finally getting aggressive on one important thing that I didn't
really bother to seriously think about during my early years of employment ---
"Investing".

I am quite traditional. Not
the "coin-bank-hidden-inside-the-closet" type, but somehow close. I maintain
a passbook account with BDO and I intentionally did not get an ATM card. As
cliche as it is, bank interest rates suck... and so my money slept, well, at
least its safe there... that's my only consolation.

I do think my frequent trips to the bank did
pay off. While waiting in the long queues, reading the available newspapers and
marketing flyers inside the bank became a part of my routine. Sometime last
year, I came across an article on BDO's Easy Investment Plan (EIP). I was
a bit skeptical since I'm not comfortable in adding a certain level of risk to my hard earned money, but I enrolled anyway. Best decision ever, and indeed it was "EASY"!

It works this way: enroll
your existing savings account to the EIP and specify the amount you are willing
to "save" every month (or every payday). That's it! The system
automatically deducts the amount from your account as scheduled and places it in
an investment fund of your choice. That simple! I am enrolled in the program
for almost a year now and I am very pleased with how much my money has grown.

A piece of advice: once you
get into the EIP, quit worrying on how to withdraw your money right away.
Let it stay there, and allow the program do its magic over time. Besides, the intention is to
save up for the future, right?

What I like about the EIP, aside from the higher growth yield, is that it automates and secures
my savings. I don't have to remind myself to do that every payday! I just got rid of the vicious cycle of "wanting-to-save-but-hey-there's-a-new-cool-gadget-so-i'll-just-make-up-for-the-next-month"
struggle.

I did mention about getting
more aggressive on investing… I surely did. Let’s just say that this whole EIP
thing woke up the “Warren Buffet” in me as it eventually sparked my interest in investing
in stocks. Finally, I got in the Philippine Stock Market! (hmmm, i think this deserves
a separate blog entry ^_^ )

Anyway, to know more about
the BDO Easy Investment Plan, click here. I highly
recommend it!